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City of Boulder to Help Manage the Relocation of a Prairie Dog Colony

​About 200 prairie dogs are expected to be moved to city open space

As part of the City of Boulder’s efforts to minimize the lethal control of prairie dogs, city staff will oversee and help manage the relocation of a prairie colony to city-managed open space. Information on this planned relocation, along with any future relocation, is available at: https://bouldercolorado.gov/osmp/prairie-dog-relocation.

Recognizing community members’ desire to help protect prairie dogs, the City of Boulder relocates colonies from city-managed land where prairie dogs may conflict with current land uses and are designated for removal in city management plans, along with removing them from private property inside the city limits.

Beginning this week, city wildlife staff will oversee and help manage the relocation of a prairie dog colony from 0 Diagonal Highway (Diagonal Crossing) to city open space east of Cherryvale Road and north of Marshall Drive. About 200 prairie dogs are expected to be moved. The City of Boulder’s Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) Department has closed the receiving site to the public, and it will remain closed for several weeks to facilitate successful relocation of the prairie dogs and to help the colony acclimate in their new surroundings. The upcoming relocation is the result of a public-private collaboration, with the property owner of 0 Diagonal Highway paying the costs of the relocation.

As part of the city’s efforts to help manage prairie dogs and their habitats on city-managed public lands, the City of Boulder formed an advisory working group of 12 community members to review the city’s current prairie dog management practices. City Manager Jane S. Brautigam approved the working group’s first round of recommendations in June. Staff anticipates presenting working group recommendations, along with updates from 2017 on prairie dog management activities, to the Boulder City Council during a study session in September.